In recent years, as dietary life has gradually become rich, the number of diabetes patients has increased. In order to prevent the development of complications in such diabetes patients, it is necessary to control their blood glucose level to a level close to those of healthy persons. As a marker for grasping the controlled state of the blood glucose level of diabetes patients, 1,5-anhydroglucitol (hereinafter abbreviated as “1,5-AG” at times) has become a focus of attention. Such 1,5-AG is advantageous in that it is insusceptible to diet and in that it reflects the blood glucose control level in a relatively short period of time, such as for the past 1 week.
Most recently, it has been revealed that 1,5-AG is a marker that reflects the postprandial hyperglycemia state, more precisely than blood glucose markers such as hemoglobin A1c.
A biosensor, which is available when a patient collects a whole blood specimen at home and then measures 1,5-AG by him/herself so as to use the measurement value as an indicator for blood glucose control level, is disclosed in each of Patent Literature 1 and Patent Literature 2, Patent Literature 1 discloses a biosensor having a blood cell separation unit and a detection unit, whereas Patent Literature 2 discloses the electrochemical measurement of 1,5-AG, in which an osmium(III) complex is used as a redox mediator and 2-sulfobenzoic acid or 3-sulfobenzoic acid is used as a stabilizer.
On the other hand, there has been known a blood glucose self-monitoring meter whereby patients are able to measure their blood glucose level by themselves at home. Such blood glucose self-monitoring meters are commercially available with trade names such as Glucocard (Arkray Inc.) or Freestyle (Nipro Corporation).
Biosensors for measuring other blood glucose markers such as glycoalbumin and hemoglobin Ale have also being developed.